Please HELP!!

[King Spew]

I'm SPEWing.

I just moved up to Party $50 table and have just 4K hands in PT.

My six biggest losing starting hands in order:

JJ(23)
88(17)
KTo(56)
54s(6)
QQ(22)
KK(17)

Obviously, I'm not letting go soon enough. What are your hold/fold criteria for these big pocket pairs.

[ChipStorm]

Post specific hands, you'll get much more constructive feedback

[mosuavea]

Sample size

[Tito]

First off, KTo and 54s are NOT hands you should be losing a lot with. You're looking to catch a good draw or two pair on the flop to continue, otherwise it's a pretty easy fold. As far as the pairs, I feel the most important condition is position as how to play them. KK and QQ is pretty but try to remember they are still just 1 pair. With the others you are really looking to hit a set with a lot of people seeing the flop. Any overcards and you're probably forced to fold unless you do make your set. Just try to remember that it's still 1 pair and a lot of times they don't win without improving because any donk will call you with an A or K and weak kicker.

Bottom line is if you hit a good flop don't slowplay it. That could lead to big problems. If you don't hit a good flop you'll have to decide to continue with the hand or not based on the flop texture and the playing abilities of your opponents. Also, if you can get heads up with someone with a raise preflop you will proably be at a major advantage with the big pocket pairs. Hope this helps. Good luck!

[CappyAA]

You have 4k hands. By odds, you'd have gotten any particular PP 18 times. You can easily lose with KK or QQ over an 18 hand run. My guess is that you've either taken a few tough beats with your hands, but more likely that you can't let go if an overcard hits or you face enormous pressure on a draw-heavy board. KK, QQ, and JJ shouldn't all be losers for you. But as everyone else said, post hands and get a larger sample size (20k hands or so) to get a good idea of where you stand.

[tehox]

Post hands that you have questions on, there are no general answers to this question

[Dan Bitel]

a) sample size
b) fold KTo

[Sculley]

I'm guessing the reason you're losing with 88 particularly is because you're chasing with it. Otherwise, you're hitting your set with it and then slowplaying, letting someone else draw out on you.

JJ is just a trap hand. I won't take a lot of heat with it because of how vulnerable it is. Try to see a raised pot, but if overs flop, you've got to be done with it.

As for KK and QQ, I've found them difficult to play in small stakes on PP. Usually, I'll raise or re-raise with KK, but if someone's coming back at me pre-flop, four betting or pushing in, 99% of the time they have AA, and it's not such a difficult fold.

As to QQ, I like to play it slow preflop from EP and MP, I'll just call and check out the flop. If I'm in late, I'll play it more aggressively. There are just too many people at these limits who will raise and reraise with Ax or Kx, and you really don't want to bust on QQ, at least not in a full ring game. With QQ, I'm looking to hit a set or a good draw on the flop, or else to hit a bunch of crap low cards - but if you've just called BB preflop it's going to be very difficult if you take a stab at the pot and someone comes back over you.

You shouldn't be playing KTo very often, and if someone's giving you heat, it's probably not worth hanging onto unless you flop an OESD, two pair or trips.

56s is a hand to hit a flush, straight, or primary draw. If you hit top pair, take a stab, but if you get played with, shut it down. Make sure you're getting good odds to chase your draws, too. You're looking to make a big hand - without a big hand, turn it off.

When I get some of these hands (i.e. KK/JJ/QQ), I tell myself before I act: "I will not get stacked with these cards. I will not go broke with these cards." They're made hands, but after the flop, you need to ease up and re-evaluate your play and your opponents' range.

[carnivalhobo]

[ QUOTE ]


As for KK and QQ, I've found them difficult to play in small stakes on PP. Usually, I'll raise or re-raise with KK, but if someone's coming back at me pre-flop, four betting or pushing in, 99% of the time they have AA, and it's not such a difficult fold.


[/ QUOTE ]
say it isnt so...

dont fold KK preflop for 100bbs at SSNL.

[mudgey]

[ QUOTE ]

As for KK and QQ, I've found them difficult to play in small stakes on PP. Usually, I'll raise or re-raise with KK, but if someone's coming back at me pre-flop, four betting or pushing in, 99% of the time they have AA, and it's not such a difficult fold.

[/ QUOTE ]

I have seen donks get their stack in PF w/AT, KQ, and TT.......never folding KK's PF is +EV